Explore the biblical truth about antichrist in this eye-opening Antichrist sermon. Discover what Scripture really says and debunk common myths about this misunderstood concept – video, audio, notes. Antichrist has been a fear phrase used by preachers for over a century. The word sounds mystical and intriguing. Today’s theologians use it with recklessness abandoned. It’s tossed into sermons to strike fear and cause minds to come to attention. It is similar to threatening someone with hell. In today’s contemporary theology, when the word antichrist is said, people’s minds immediately go to the book of Revelation. “Oh no!” However, the truth is that the Book of Revelation never mentions antichrist.
KINGDOM TRUTHS
By Pastor Delbert Young
Antichrist sermon: How to Understand Biblical Context
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Antichrist sermon: How to Understand Biblical Context
2 Peter 2:1-3, 1 John 2:18-22, 1 John 4:2-3, 2 John 1:7, Daniel 8:19,
The antichrist has been a fear phrase used by preachers for over a century. The word sounds mystical and intriguing. Today’s theologians use it with recklessness abandoned. It’s tossed into sermons to strike fear and cause minds to come to attention. It is similar to threatening someone with hell.
I spoke at a “Kingdom conference.” I stated, “The Book of Revelation never mentions the antichrist.” A young man in the congregation said, “No. That’s not right.” I looked at him and said, “Son, check it out! I know it’s so different from what you’ve been taught, but check it out.”
Antichrist sermon: How to Understand Biblical Context
“GIVE ME YOUR MONEY!”
What’s so sad is the word “antichrist” does not mean what we preachers tell us it means. Biblically, it does not mean this lousy guy will come into power in the world’s last days. Why is it so misused? It is a preacher’s gimmick. Any preacher worth his salt knows the word antichrist does not refer to a man at the end of the age. The only answer as to why they use it in such a way is to manipulate their congregations, readers, listeners, etc. Many times, the manipulation is for personal monetary gain. We are warned of these people by the scriptures.
2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets, too, in those days, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly tell their lies about God, turning against even their Master who bought them; but theirs will be a swift and terrible end…. 3 These teachers in their greed will tell you anything to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago and their destruction is on the way. (TLB)
Such is the case with those who make merchandise using the antichrist. Again, I say any person, especially a preacher worth his salt, knows that the antichrist is not a man who will come one day.
Antichrist sermon: How to Understand Biblical Context
THE ANTICHRIST MYTHOLOGY
When we hear about or read of the antichrist, it is like hearing a story about an evil Hercules or one of those mythical gods in mythology. Let’s run through his legend quickly.
According to the legend of the dispensationalists, a man, the Antichrist, is on Earth today. He is the son of the devil. He has a birthmark or some identifying mark equating to 666. The Antichrist receives power from his father, the devil. Before he moves into his great power, the Lord will “rapture” the church. Within a very short time, nearly overnight, the antichrist will captivate the entire planet Earth by his glamor. He has the answers to all the world’s problems. He took the 3rd world power, Italy, and made it the supreme power in the world, and he built the Roman Empire again.
The antichrist will take Italy from near poverty to having the most powerful army on Earth. From Rome, Italy, the antichrist will begin to rule the world and do all of this nearly overnight. After 3 1/2 years of doing good, the antichrist will turn evil. Somehow, the antichrist is killed but raised from the dead. He will convince people he is god and force them to worship him.
Tremendous wars will break out using nuclear weapons. The events of Revelation will occur, i.e., stars fall from heaven, water turns to blood, famines, pestilence, mountains crumble, and the heavens scroll back. He will, for some reason, march upon the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem. He will have an army numbering as the sand of the sea – (impossible number to calculate).
Antichrist sermon: How to Understand Biblical Context
The battle of Armageddon will take place, killing millions and millions of Jews.
Blood will flow to the horse’s bridle. The antichrist destroyed the city of Jerusalem and the temple and rebuilt the temple there a few years prior. He will continue his killing until, finally, the Lord comes from heaven with his army. The antichrist will be defeated and cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. After this, the devil is bound for 1,000 years.
CONTEMPORARY ANTICHRISTS
From the time we come into the “church,” we hear about the antichrist, the mark of the beast, and a “666” number. Even unbelievers know about “666.” Hollywood works this number and plays it to the fullest. Most Bible teachers tell us this number is “antichrist.” In my lifetime, this “antichrist” person has been the Pope, Henry Kissinger, Nikita Khrushchev, Mikhail Gorbachev, Ronald Ragan, and I am sure others I cannot remember. It was Hitler. It was Joseph Stalin. Not long ago, it was David Koresh. He would rise from the dead.
Dispensationalists must continue adjusting their theology to keep people intrigued and believing in their false doctrine. It wasn’t Stalin, Hitler, the Pope, or David Koresh. How long will we continue to listen to the lies of the dispensationalists?
WHAT IS ANTICHRIST?
The word translated antichrist in the King James Bible is a totally New Testament word. Only one New Testament writer writes about antichrist. The writer is John the Apostle, the same John who wrote the Book of Revelation and The Gospel of Saint John. He also wrote 1, 2, and 3 John. It is in 1 and 2 John that we find the word antichrist.
Antichrist sermon: How to Understand Biblical Context
The Greek word translated antichrist is antichristos (Strong’s #500). Antichristos is “an opponent of the Messiah.”
The word “antichristos” appears only five times in the New Testament. The King James version translates four of these as “antichrist,” and once as “antichrists” (plural). We will look at each of these verses and the context.
It may be worth noting Jesus never used the word antichristos. The apostle John is the only writer who did use it. I do not point this out to diminish its importance. I point this out to make us aware that the antichrist was not a major New Testament doctrine as made out to be today.
ANTICHRIST–AN OPPONENT OF THE MESSIAH
We know Jesus Christ is the “Messiah.” Daniel told of the coming of the Messiah, the Prince. (Dan 9:25-26).
Daniel 9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
Antichrist sermon: How to Understand Biblical Context
Messiah (Strong’s #4889) is the Hebrew word mashiyach, which means “anointed as a king; spec. the Messiah.”
The Messiah was the one the Jews awaited for 483 years (Dan 9:24). They knew the exact time the Messiah would come, as the Lord God had told them through Daniel 483 years earlier. Jesus was the awaited Messiah. There is no doubt of this.
The word antichrist means “an opponent of the Messiah.” We ask, “Who was the opponent of the awaited Messiah?” The answer is none other than Judaism—the people of Israel. They and they only opposed Jesus (Act 2:22-23; 2:36; 4:10). Who else opposed the Messiah? The Romans were not worried about Jesus. Pilate wanted to release Christ, but at the insistence of the Jews, Pilate crucified Christ. The scriptures say the Jews opposed the Messiah.
Am I saying the Jews were antichrist? I am saying this exactly.
“ANTICHRIST” SCRIPTURES
As previously stated, the word antichristos (antichrist) appears only five times in the entire Bible. These five times are in four scriptures. Each use is by Saint John. Following is a discussion on each use.
1 John 2:18
1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
Antichrist sermon: How to Understand Biblical Context
it is the last time
For some reason, we think God has difficulty telling time. We allow the dispensationalists to tell us that the words soon, quickly, and shortly (Book of Revelation) mean 2,000 plus years. God has no problem telling time. We are the ones who have a problem telling time.
And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be. (Daniel 8:19)
In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision. (Daniel 10:1)
And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. (Daniel 11:35)
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. (Daniel 12:4)
And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? 7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; [means a long time] and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. [When did that historically happen? A.D. 70.] (Daniel 12:6)
Antichrist sermon: How to Understand Biblical Context
And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. [Compare with Revelation 22:10] (Daniel 12:9)
Revelation 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
1 Peter 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, [When did Peter write this?]
Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
When John the Baptist and Jesus said the kingdom was at hand, what did they mean? God does not have difficulty telling time. He says the time appointed was long, if he means a long time. If he means quickly, soon, shortly, at hand, then this is what he says.
Antichrist sermon: How to Understand Biblical Context
First Use
This verse (1Jo 2:18) is one of the most shocking verses concerning the word antichrist. It is the first use. The first use is most important to proper Biblical interpretation. The first use is the seed of a word. An ear of corn has a first seed, and every other corn seed will have the ingredients of the first seed. It is the same way with the first use of a word. Every other time the Scriptures use the word, it will have the ingredients and meaning of the first use, and it dramatically determines what the word means throughout all other scriptures.
Not Capitalized–not a person
We see the first use of antichrist not capitalized! Is this important? It tells us it is not a person’s name. King James did not capitalize the word nor the NIV or NRS. The point is that it is not a person’s name.
even Evenare antichrists
John refers to the last time in an imminent way. John says, …it is the last time. He spoke of the last time in the present tense. So, John was not speaking of something several thousand years away. On the heels of this, John says, “….as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.” John repeats himself both about the last time and about the antichrist.
This seed use of antichrist suggests several thoughts. One is that John wanted people to know that antichrist was not a future event. John says that even now, there are many antichrists.
Antichrist sermon: How to Understand Biblical Context
The book of 1 John was written no later than A.D. 90 (probably closer to A.D. 65). Was the antichrist alive when John wrote 1 John? John said it was. Was John confused?
People today believe that the antichrist will come. Every contemporary dispensational preacher says, “Antichrist shall come.” John noted that the antichrist was there in 90 A.D. John said the antichrist had already come. John also said it was then the last time. The next time someone says, “Antichrist is coming,” tell them the antichrist has already come and show them scripture.
Many antichrists
Another very important part of the first-use seed is that there are many antichrists. We will quote the verse again to have it near for reference.
1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
In contemporary theology, there is one antichrist. That antichrist is capitalized (meaning it is referring to a man). He will (according to that theology) rule the world and be the catalyst of the great tribulation. Scripturally, antichrists are many. John said, “…even now are there many antichrists.”
What we have seen thus far is that antichrists have come. There are many antichrists. Because there are many antichrists, John knew the last time had come. Does this mean that the last time has happened? Yes, exactly.
John calls the time “last time.” Peter and Jude also refer to it this way (1Pe 1:5; Jud 1:18). It is usually referred to as the “last day,” “last days,” or “day of the Lord.” It refers to the termination of a society.
Antichrist sermon: How to Understand Biblical Context
Isaiah 13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
The only event that happened at the time in history John wrote was the termination of the society of Judaism. In A.D. 70, Roman armies desolated the land, destroyed the temple, killed over one million, and took ninety thousand into slavery. Today’s Israel is not the same society. It has no temple and no sacrificial worship.
People attempt to keep their feasts and rituals, but there is no blood sacrifice at the altar, so there is no meaning. It can’t worship because it has no temple. The destruction of A.D. 70 was the abomination that brought the desolation that Jesus said would come upon them (Mat 24:15). John said because there were many antichrists, he knew it was the last time.
1 John 2:22
1 John 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, who denieth the Father and the Son.
He is antichrist
We now have a Biblical definition of antichrist. He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. The antichrist is not a person who will appear in the last seven years of the world’s existence. The antichrist is any person who denies the Father and the Son. It is better understood as any system that denieth the Father and the Son is antichrist.
John is not referring to an atheist. The atheist supposedly does not believe in God. John’s thought concerns those who say Jesus is not the Son of the Father. These deny the relation of the Father and the Son. This rejection is precisely what Judaism did. The Jews rejected Jesus as the Son of God the Father. Those today in that (or any) false religion continue to reject Jesus as the Son. They are, without doubt, antichrist.
Antichrist sermon: How to Understand Biblical Context
Any “religion,” any system that rejects that Jesus is the Son of Father God, is antichrist. It’s that simple. It’s that Biblical.
1 John 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
The antichrist is not a person who will rule the world one day. The antichrist will never rule the world! It is a Biblically impossibility! There is now and will only be one kingdom. The kingdom began at the Ascension (Dan 7:13-14). The Lord crushed every other kingdom and will crush those remaining.
The antichrist is not a man who will reinvent the Roman Empire or die and be resurrected, causing the world to wonder. As John clearly said, the antichrist is any spirit of religion that denies Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. The antichrist denies the Father and the Son. Also, the antichrist was alive in John’s day (1st century).
We will now go to the fourth reference.
Antichrist sermon: How to Understand Biblical Context
1John 4:2-3
1 John 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
1 John 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
Spirit of antichrist
The seed is the same in 1 John 4:3 as in 1 John 2:22. A spirit who does not confess that Jesus Christ came is antichrist. Here, we note that antichrist is a spirit and not a person. Again, dispensational contemporaries say that antichrist is a man. The Bible says antichrist is a spirit. Those who confess that Jesus Christ has come identify with the Spirit of God. Those who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come identify with the spirit of antichrist.
Judaism adamantly said that Jesus was not the Christ. No people made that statement or continue to make it as they do. Then John says once more that antichrist ….now already is it in the world. Though dispensationalists teach us to await its (his) coming, it has existed for two thousand years.
Antichrist sermon: How to Understand Biblical Context
2 John 1:7
We have one more reference to look at. It is found in 2 John 1:7.
2 John 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
The first use of seed follows on into this verse. It also connects all the other references. There are (present tense) many deceivers. These deceivers confess Jesus Christ has not come in the flesh. This deceiver is an antichrist. The antichrist was a present living spirit in John’s day. It confessed Jesus was not the Christ and the Christ had not come. As noted, the primary reference is Judaism. Judaism withstood the testimony of Jesus Christ all over the world. All religions that say Jesus is not Christ are antichrist. In John’s day, this was primarily Judaism.
We have studied every reference to antichrist in the scriptures.
Antichrist sermon: How to Understand Biblical Context
As we have seen, in no place does antichrist refer to a futuristic person who will exist in the last seven years of time.
The word “antichrist” is not found in the Book of Revelation! Contemporary dispensationalists make the word a major player in the Book of Revelation. They write and teach as if the word is in every verse, but it is not there at all.
Antichrist refers to all who deny Jesus is the Son of God the Father.
The antichrist(s) was (were) alive in John’s day.
The antichrist refers to deceivers.
In John’s day and today, the antichrist primarily spoke of and speak of Judaism. Yet dispensational teachers say Christ will bring back the antichrist system at his coming.
It was Judaism that denied Jesus was Christ, the Son of God. To make the antichrist a person who will rule the world during some seven-year tribulation is not biblical.
Antichrist sermon: How to Understand Biblical Context
Antichrist sermon: How to Understand Biblical Context
Other Related Sermons:
Now There Are Many Antichrists Part 2 (Opens in a new browser tab)
Kingdom Truth sermon series – videos notes (Opens in a new browser tab)
Cannot Stop Eternal Purposes Of God Or Cannot Confess Jesus Is Christ (Opens in a new browser tab)
Now There Are Many Antichrists Part 1 Humanism (Opens in a new browser tab)
12- Discerning Of Spirits Audio (Opens in a new browser tab)
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